Lehighton Borough Council is seeking a grant to update its zoning and subdivision land development ordinances.

Borough secretary Brenda Koons said recently that borough officials met earlier this month with Mahoning and Franklin townships to discuss working together.Koons said that Carson Helfrich, of Community Planning and Management LLC, said the cost to update the ordinances for the three municipalities to go together would be about $90,660.Helfrich said the three municipalities could go for grant funding as a group, or pursue it individually in the event any of the other municipalities would decide to drop out.By going together, the three municipalities could receive funding from the Municipal Assistance Program ($45,330), as well as an Audubon grant of PA ($20,000).The three municipalities would divide the remaining $25,330.Otherwise, borough Manager Nicole Beckett said it would cost the borough about $30,000.Koons noted that the borough's subdivision ordinance is from 1974, while its zoning is from 1997.Councilman Scott Rehrig said action needs to be taken soon."The way Lehighton Borough is now, it needs to be updated," Rehrig said.Rehrig added that the borough has some "real problems" that it needs to correct "immediately."He said that includes gas stations, junkyards and truck stops.Blight removalRehrig said the borough is attempting to move diligently to remove blighted structures on First Street.Beckett said code enforcement has been issuing citations for various properties within the business district, and that there are numerous properties the borough has been dealing with on First Street.She said the borough will be contacting the Gulotta Group, which provides technical assistance on community development and blight removal, for guidance on blight and redevelopment.